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Latan Palms

Red Latan Palm, latania lontaroides


Latan palms are beautiful, slow growing fan palms that are perfect for containers when young or landscapes once larger.

They are easy to care for and stunning to look at.

There are actually 3 kinds described by different colors... red, blue and yellow.


Appearance

They all originate from the Mascarene Islands and are critically endangered in their natural habitat.

As I stated they have beautiful fan leaves that can get to be 6-8 feet wide and actually appear folded.

The leaves are segmented half of the way towards the center of the leaf.

They are quite stiff so usually appear to stand straight up without hanging tips.

The Blue latan has slightly stiffer leaves than the other two.

You may have guessed the differences in the three latan palms are in their coloring.


The blue one has the leaf segments colored a bluish grey to silvery blue color and a leaf stem that is slightly tinted with a red color when the tree is young.

The red latan has a lot more red color. It will appear on the leaf stalks and also the leaves themselves in younger trees.

Once older, the trees leaves are a darker green on topside with a grayish green underside.

Even some of the flower sprays or branches will display a reddish color.

      Young Red Latan Palm Leaves

Latania lontaroides young foliage (detail)

The yellow latan palm has leaf stems that are completely yellow, with whitish fibers. The leaves themselves are more a yellow/green on both sides at any age.


All these latan palms have the same sort of looking trunk, dark grey with rings set closer together left from old falling leaves.

They all need both a female tree and a male tree to produce fruits/seeds from the female after pollination.

Their fruits are a brown color, and their flowers are generally long bracts that can reach up to four feet long.

Latania loddigesii 2

Care and Growth of Latan Palms

Your Ultimate Palm Tree Handbook


They all have the same sort of care and growth. This is because of them originating in one very small place on the planet.

They will get up to 50 feet tall and 10- 12 ft wide in the wild but will probably only get as tall as 25 feet or so in landscapes.

Considered a slow to medium grower they will last in a container for a few years before needing transplant.


They will thrive in any type of soil as long as it is well drained.

They are somewhat both drought and salt tolerant. Theses trees are tropical requiring full sun and temperatures above freezing.

All three of these trees are prone to lethal yellowing but only slightly. There are no other disease or pest problems to be concerned with.

Because of their rarity they may be hard to find for purchase.


The blue is generally a bit easier than the red but the yellow is the most difficult. This makes them more expensive than other palms of the same size, grown by nurseries for landscapes.

Quick info: Scientific names

  • Blue: Latania loddigesii 
  •  Red:  Latania lontaroide
  • Yellow: Latania verschaffeltii
  • 25 feet plus tall, 10-12 feet wide, solitary trunk
  • Minimum temp 32°F    growing zones 10-11
  • Full sun, any well drained soil
Red Latan Palm Tree - Medium

If you do manage to get one collect the seeds. You can start another tree from seed rather easily but it may take a year for them to sprout.

One thing though, if you own one of these rarer species of palm tree, people are sure to notice and ask you all about it.

Blue Latan Palm, latania loddigesii

NOTE :  About Buying Palms

If you are looking to buy palm trees of any kind then I would highly recommend purchasing through the Real Palm Tree Store.

They are a huge nursery based in Florida with connections to many quality growers.

Whether you are ordering from inside the United States, Canada or another part of the world-- ordering one tree for your landscape or many for a commercial project-- I’m confident you won’t be disappointed.

Their customer service is second to none; all products are high quality and backed by a money back 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Make sure to visit real palm trees, ask questions and read the reviews before buying anywhere else.

Palm Tree Store

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More information others have found useful:

Landscaping will help by giving you some ideas on where to put the next palm tree in your yard.

Planting explains the best practices for your next tree to get off to a great start.

Growing includes maps of the plant hardiness zone, and definitions for soil types, sun requirements and other commonly used gardening terminology.

Fertilizing helps you determine the best kind, explains what the numbers mean,how to calculate the correct amount and where to put it.

Care covers the basics and pruning explains best practices, plus helps with how much, what to trim and when.


Palm Tree Passion > Types of Palm Trees > Latan Palms